The Bedrest Narrative
by bigbangenthusiast
Summary: While confined to bedrest, Amy shares her fears with her unborn baby.


**A/N: Hi everyone! I received a request from Kdlivi to expand on the pregnancy plot from one of my multichapter stories, The Sin Closet Diaries. If you read it, you may remember that Amy was put on bedrest during the last two months of her pregnancy. The Coopers stayed at the Wolowitz's house so Amy didn't have to strain herself by going up three flights of stairs to the apartment.**

 **I hope you enjoy this little addition to that storyline.**

Amy set the magazine on the nightstand and sighed. It was late afternoon, and already she read every magazine within reach. If only her phone wasn't sitting on the dresser all the way across the room, plugged into the only free wall socket. There was a whole world within that device, yet it was so far out of reach. Doctor's orders forbade her from taking those few steps to retrieve it, and the stakes were too high to risk defying them. She could call out to Bernadette for help, but the Wolowitzs had already done so much for her that she felt guilty to ask for more favors, no matter how small.

Staring at the wall next to her, she searched for imperfections in the paintjob then turned her gaze to the ceiling fan above the bed. The blades whirred with each revolution. One, two, three… There had to be something more interesting to keep her occupied until Sheldon returned from work. Maybe she could retake the quiz that guesses one's age by what foods they eat and see if it gave her the same result. Her fingers brushed the magazine then thought better of it. Those quizzes rarely calculated correctly, and it would only keep her busy for a couple of minutes. There had to be something else. She wasn't the first woman to ever go on bedrest. What did those moms-to-be do? Maybe the answer was in one of the magazines… No, she knew it wasn't without having to look. After re-reading each issue multiple times, every article was ingrained in her mind, and not one discussed boredom during bedrest. They were all geared toward losing weight, fashion, and pleasing your man in bed.

She closed her eyes and rested her hands on her round belly. "Well, Monkey, it's day 33 since we've been cooped up in this room. Are you as anxious as I am to get out of here? I know your daddy would prefer to be in his own bed, but he's been a great sport about this whole ordeal and never complains. If you go to term, we'll be here another 27 days. As much as I want you to develop completely, I wouldn't protest if you decide to come into this world a little early."

As if in response, she felt a kick. "Okay, maybe not. Perhaps just a day or two, and please don't stay in there past your due date."

She smiled as another kick pushed against her hands. Once the baby was born, she would miss that feeling, even though there were times the little one used her poor bladder as a punching bag, and she had no choice but to ask someone in the house to help her use the facilities.

"There was a time when I didn't know if I would ever be a mother, a wife, or even someone's girlfriend. Then I met your daddy, and all those things became possibilities and eventually reality. I felt a connection with him since our very first meeting. We were similar in many ways, both socially awkward, both scientists, we have nearly identical IQs. For the first time in my life, I felt like I could be myself around someone. Even though we both had our own quirks, we understood each other. He actually laughed at my jokes instead of giving me a blank look like everyone else did."

The smile on her face grew as she thought back to how it all began. "That was the turning point in my life. In his too. I became more self-confident, and he learned to care for someone other than himself. We're both better versions of ourselves because of each other. Our relationship wasn't always smooth sailing. We hit a lot of bumps, but we survived as a couple and became stronger because of them. This is just another bump in the road that we'll get through."

Amy chuckled at the dual figurative and literal meanings of the word in her current situation, as she stroked her baby bump.

"You've heard our story many times, and once you're born, you'll probably hear it so much that you'll tire of it, but enough about me. How are you doing in there? Are you getting enough outside stimuli? I feel bad that you aren't hearing as much from the outside world as you did before I was confined to the bed. When I was working and doing errands, you got to hear some different voices. Now it's just me, Daddy, your Auntie Bernie, Uncle Howard, Uncle Stuart, and little Nathaniel. I'm so glad we went to the zoo two weeks before we came here. Do you remember the noises the monkeys made, or the loud roar of that tiger? I hope you haven't forgotten there's a whole other world out there. Maybe I'll see if we can track down a portable charger for my phone so I can play music or nature sounds for you tomorrow. Does that sound okay?"

Amy's eyes welled up. She blinked back the tears, but one escaped and slithered down her cheek. "I feel like I'm failing you. If I had watched my food intake more carefully or taken it easy, maybe we wouldn't be in this predicament. I'm doing my best to ensure you develop normally and don't go into any distress, but do the doctors really know what's best? I want you to have the best life possible right from the start."

She cocked her ear to the door at the sound of voices in the living room. Sheldon and Bernadette exchanged a few words, then seconds later the bedroom door opened.

"There's my beautiful wife," Sheldon murmured, as he leaned over the bed to kiss her softly.

"I missed you," she murmured into his shoulder.

"Your voice sounds funny. Are you alright?" He asked, pulling back to look at her face. "Your eyes are red rimmed, and your face is wet. Amy, have you been crying?"

She swallowed hard. "I'm fine, just hormones."

"Are you sure? Are you feeling okay? Is the baby okay?" He sat on the bed and placed his hand on the side of her belly.

"We're okay, really." A single tear slid down Amy's face, and she brushed it away with the back of her hand.

Sheldon's eyes widened, and a panicked look crossed his face. "Something is wrong. Amy, please tell me! We can get you to the doctor. They can do an emergency C-section..."

Amy covered his hand with hers. "Physically, I'm feeling fine, but emotionally…" She took a deep breath. "It's just been a rough day for me. I feel so helpless. I can't even get my phone from across the room. And the boredom! I didn't realize how slow the time would move without you here next to me."

"I was willing to continue my sabbatical, but you begged me to go back to work."

"I know. I want you to be able to go out and do things. No sense in us both being confined to one place."

"I'll call the university and let them know I can work remotely."

"You don't have to do that. I just need to plan better for tomorrow."

He licked his lips. "Honestly, I couldn't concentrate well today. I erased my whiteboard seven times this morning because I messed up the math. I finally just gave up and went to lunch, which I hardly touched. All I could think about was you lying here all by yourself. For your sanity and mine, I think it's best if I stay here. I can work in the living room, and you can call for me any time you need something."

"You'd really be okay with that?"

"Of course, I would. I want you to be comfortable and know you're not alone. Now how about if I bring you a cup of chamomile tea?"

"That sounds nice, but can we just cuddle for now?"

Sheldon lie on his side and carefully slung his arm over her rounded belly. Amy sighed contentedly as he nuzzled her neck and began humming Soft Kitty.

When he got through the song, Amy whispered, "That was beautiful. If you don't mind, perhaps you can do it again a little louder so our baby can hear."

"I can do better than that."

He scooted down, resting his head against the side of her belly. The lyrics flowed from his mouth in a calming tone. When the last note left his lips, they felt a kick.

"I think our little one liked it." Amy tilted her head toward the movement. "I'm sorry if I worried you before. I think you're going to be just fine, Monkey."

Sheldon lifted his eyes to hers. "Why wouldn't the baby be fine? I thought you said everything was okay."

"While I was lying here, I spoke to the baby to help pass the time. I talked a little about how our relationship was in the beginning and how before we met, I didn't know if I'd ever be a mother. Then I started feeling sorry for myself and wondering what I should have done differently, and all these thoughts about fetal development went through my mind. I'm a little worried I'm not able to provide enough access to stimuli for our little one," she admitted.

"Just because you can't move around? With all the technology available to us, our baby might go into sensory overload if we're not careful."

"I doubt that, but thanks for trying to make me feel better."

"You're going to be a wonderful mother, and I'm not just saying that." He kissed her belly then scooted up until his lips sought hers. When they broke apart, Sheldon looked into her eyes. "Our baby is already very lucky to have us as parents. Not only will he or she will have our superior genetic makeup, but Baby Cooper also has parents who care so much that they worry they're doing the right thing, and obeying doctor's orders _is_ the right thing. Besides, it's only for 27 more days. Just one more revolution of the moon around the earth."

He leaned over and kissed her again, their hands resting on either side of the child they created. While they lie back against the pillows, Amy silently calculated all the times the moon had orbited the earth since she was born. In the grand scheme of things, one more revolution would barely make a difference; 27 days was nothing. The health of the baby and herself was worth that small sacrifice.


End file.
